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Month

January 2018

A double sided strong tape is a versatile and useful product with many different applications. It is different from traditional tapes, as the name suggests, because they have two adhesive sides, and this feature is actually what makes it so usable and suitable for various tasks.

Most often used to stick two surfaces together, typically in a way that it can’t be seen in the final product, the double sided strong tape has made its way into many other applications. In car manufacturing, the double sided strong tape has been used for years now to replace rivets and fasteners. It is used to attach everything from dashboards to specialty car appliques. In truck and RV manufacturing, the product is used to fasten exterior mirror glass to the mirror housing bezel, bond panels together, or simply bond fabric to sun visors in truck cabs. In the industrial manufacturing process, the tape is used to splice one item to another to ensure an uninterrupted manufacturing process.

Types of Double Sided Strong Tape

There are two main types of double sided strong tape available on the market: those with thick bonding system and those with thin bonding system. The thick bonding system tapes are often a better option to use on unusual, non-uniform, or highly textured or patterned surfaces. Tapes with thick bonding systems generally have a foam carrier layer and tend to vary significantly in strength.
Both systems can use either rubber or acrylic adhesives. Both have their advantages, but rubber tapes are often cheaper and not recommended for intensive long-term applications. Acrylic tapes, on the other hand, cost more but also age much better. They are less sensitive to heat or light, and more resistant to the majority of chemicals. One disadvantage of this type of tape is that it can make weaker bond in the initial application, although the hold does increase with strength over a few hours. So for short-term projects, a rubber tape might be a better option.

What Surfaces Double Sided Strong Tapes Stick Best?

Regardless of the surface you will be working with, some procedures should be taken to ensure satisfying results. To start, surfaces should be washed clean with a mixture of water and alcohol, and then wiped dry. If possible, stick surfaces together at room temperature. Wait a couple of days after the application for complete bond strength. The types of surfaces that double sided strong tapes stick best are paper, metal, acrylic paint, cardboard, and properly sealed wood. Teflon, silicone rubber and powder-coated metals are some of the surfaces you should avoid.